Thirteen Western Cape companies will this year compete for the coveted Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry Exporter of the Year award.
The Chamber yesterday (Thursday) announced the finalists.
According to a spokesman a large number of entries was received for the competition which is now in its 27th year and sponsored by Export Credit Insurance Corporation.
The finalists represent a variety of fields as different as the space industry, beauty products and recycling.
Janine Myburgh, president of the Chamber, said that once again the competition had produced an amazing variety of companies, which were succeeding against the odds in very difficult trading conditions. “Even more surprising is that more than a third of the entrants this year were companies run by women,” she said.
Besides competing for the overall export award, the finalists will also go head to head for seven other awards including best engineering or manufacturing company, the best non-engineering or non-manufacturing company and the best small exporter while trophies for excellence in doing business in Africa, design, innovation and transformation are also up for grabs.
The winners will be announced at a gala function on November 2.
The finalists are, in alphabetical order:
•All Women Recycling, a Muizenberg company makes and sells a variety of gifts and gadgets made from plastic waste.
•Research Unit makes stylish leather handbags and other leather products.
•CIT-Intermodal repairs shipping containers and converts them into offices, bedrooms and other products for accommodation and storage.
•Elim Spa Products makes and sells Elim Spa products.
•Environ Skin Care manufactures skin care products.
•Indigi Designs makes bright, bold decorative fabrics and furnishings with African themes.
•Koopmanskloof Wine of Stellenbosch produces wines.
•NewSpace Systems, a Somerset West Company, designs and makes components for small satellites.
•National Manhole Covers manufactures manhole covers from sand and resin to replace metal coverings that are frequently stolen and sold for scrap.
•Peninsula Drums restores used oil drums and manufactures new drums of different types.
•Robinson and Sinclair exports local wines.
•Technical Systems manufactures automated feeding systems for large poultry and pig farms.
•Thokozani Winelands Investment of Wellington is largely owned by the farm workers and produces fine wines.